Chapter 288

Chapter 288
On my way home, I received a message from my grandmother. We hadn't been in contact for a long time. Looking at the text, I hesitated to open it. What if it was bad news? I chose to delay facing it.

After arriving home, I opened the door and smelled bacon. Walking through the living room to the kitchen, I saw him at the stove and smiled.

"Did you know I was coming back today?" I laughed.

"I always know your whereabouts," he winked.

It must have been Hunter who told him; they always reported to him.

"How was it with your father?" he asked.

"It went well, but there are a few things I want to talk to you about." I accepted the orange juice he handed me, watching him sit across from me.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I got a text from my grandmother."

"What did she say?"

"I haven't read it all yet."

"Why don't you read it now, see what she wants?" he suggested.

"Don't you think it's strange? She hasn't contacted me for months, and suddenly she texts me."

"It is strange, but we could also just not look at it. Just delete it and be done with it," he suggested.

No, I couldn't do that. If I deleted it, I'd always wonder what it said.

"Could you read it to me?" I pushed my phone across the table to him.

"She says she wants to see you. Says she has something important to discuss with you."

"Anything else?" I asked.

"She also asks if you could call her back." He returned the phone to me. "Want me to make this call for you?"

"How did my relationship with my grandmother, which I thought would always be good, become so complicated?" I pushed my plate aside, suddenly losing my appetite.

"I can't answer that, Riley."

"Yeah." I pushed my chair back and stood up. "Anyway, she'll tell me. I'm going to take a shower, then call her."

What could she possibly want to see me about?

She left me a house and a large sum of money. Maybe she felt guilty for abandoning me?

I put on my socks and shoes, then went upstairs. I showered longer than usual, but it helped wash away the fatigue and made me feel much better.

"Did you call her?" he asked.

"Not yet." I shook my head, pouring myself a cup of coffee. "It's not that I'm afraid to call her, but what reason could she have for wanting to see me?"

"Baby, you won't know unless you call." He kissed the top of my head. "But whatever happens, I'm here for you."

"I know." I picked up the phone and found her number. "What if it's something bad?"

"Riley," he sighed.

"Alright, alright." I dialed the number and held the phone to my ear.

She answered after three rings.

"Hello, Riley, is that you?"

My throat went dry. It had been so long since I'd heard her voice. If I said I didn't miss her, I'd be lying. I tried hard to continue with my life, pretending it didn't affect me, but it did.

She was my only family, until she wasn't.

"Yes," I managed to say.

My throat tightened, a wave of emotion washed over me, and I felt tears welling in my eyes. I wasn't prepared for this reaction.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Could we get coffee?" she asked. "At that café we used to go to."

My eyes met his, and he shrugged. She wanted to see me, there must be a reason. There were things she couldn't or didn't want to say over the phone.

Or maybe she just wanted to see how I was doing?

"Okay," I said. "I'll be there in an hour?"

"That's wonderful, dear, that's wonderful. See you soon." She hung up, and I put the phone on the table.

"Do you think I should have refused?" I asked him.

"If you didn't want to see her, you wouldn't have agreed. Go see what happens, and if you want to reconnect with her, then do it. How bad could it be?"

"You're right, but I don't think we can reconnect. We can't go back to how things were. Too much has happened."

"Do you want to go back to how things were?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I used to be so angry with her, but as time passed, that feeling faded. She abandoned me, threw me into a world I didn't understand, and expected me to accept it."

"Baby," he looked at me.

"I'll go have coffee with her, but I'm not making any promises."

"Want me to drive you? I can wait in the car," he offered.

"No, I'm fine. I'll face this myself." With that, I grabbed my keys and bag and left.

---

I'd been sitting in my car outside the café for fifteen minutes, watching my grandmother through the window. Sarah sat in a corner booth, occasionally glancing hopefully at the door.

What should I say to her? I wasn't sure how the meeting would go. I even wondered if I should have come at all.

Sighing, I unbuckled my seatbelt, got out, and made sure the car was locked before walking into the store. She had already ordered for us. Two cups of coffee sat on the table.

"Hi," I said, sliding into the seat across from her.

She pushed a cup toward me. "I ordered you a cappuccino. I hope you still drink those."

"Yes, thank you." I wrapped my fingers around the mug, the awkwardness between us almost palpable. We shouldn't be like this, how did we end up this way?

We used to be so close.

"You look good, dear," she said, her eyes scanning my face. "How have you been?"

I shrugged. "Honestly, I haven't been doing much. I'm applying to universities here, that's all." I didn't tell her about my pregnancy; I didn't know how to bring it up, and I didn't see the need. I wasn't sure if she would still be part of my life.

"That sounds exciting. I'm not mistaken, you're planning to study British literature?" she asked.

"That's the plan. But I have to see if I can get a spot first." I took a sip of coffee.

"I believe you will."

"Why am I here?" I finally asked, breaking through the small talk.

"You've always been impatient." She sighed.

I clenched my jaw, trying not to say something I might regret. She could be cutting sometimes. My grandmother wasn't one to hold back her words.

"We haven't spoken in months," I continued. "You cut me out of your life like I was nothing, and then you suddenly text asking to meet. Why now?"

Sarah's shoulders sagged. "I miss you every day, Riley. I made a mistake. I pushed you away because I thought it was best for you."

I rolled my eyes internally. Here we go again.

"So you want us to go back to how things were before?" I challenged.

"I know we can't go back to how things were, not right away," she reached across the table, stopping just short of touching my hand. "But maybe we could start with coffee once a week?"

I stared at her, conflicted. Part of me wanted to walk out, to punish her for the months of silence and years of lies. But another part couldn't do it. I knew I could never truly hate her.

"I don't know if we can ever get back to where we were," I said honestly. "But coffee once a week... I guess we can start there."

Relief washed over her face. "Thank you, Riley. That's all I'm asking for."